Dr. Marty Casey

Title

Dr. Marty Casey (Abstract)

Interviewee/ Narrator

Dr. Marty Casey

Interviewer

Matthew Kennedy

Date

February 13, 2024

Location of the Interview

Zoom

Length

37 minutes, 22 seconds

Abstract

Dr. Marty Casey is the founder of the Company called The Ungun Institute with the goal of helping anyone and everyone disarm from trauma. She was raised in multiple towns throughout St. Louis, Missouri, and still resides there to this day. With her institute she hopes to help people from the inside out who have been affected by gun violence. Dr. Casey’s experience living in St. Louis and witnessing the Bron protests in Ferguson first hand have greatly shaped her views.
The interview began with Dr. Casey discussing the region she grew up in for she lived in about ten different regions in and around St. Louis. The contrast in these locations helped her to gain opportunities and create bonds with those of completely different backgrounds. She now finds herself traveling the country performing speeches and starting programs inside of schools. While Dr. Casey agrees that with the statement “black lives matter”, she does not fully agree with the entirety of the organization. Her first interaction with BLM related issues was during the Ferguson Protest after the death of Micheal Brown. Her initial reaction was how disturbing this occurrence was and the fact that they treated him like a dead dog. This observation inspired her to take to the streets.
After the Ferguson Protest, Dr. Casey elaborated on how this motivated her to be on the side of healing and she created the Show Me Arts Academy. This non-profit helped teach children different forms of art to help heal. She would later go on to create the UnGun Institute described before. Her closing remarks were a reminder to lead with your heart. This interview is a part of the Black Lives Matter Oral History Project to document people’s thoughts and experiences with the Black Lives Matter Movement.